Streaming media is an increasingly popular method for providing, and consuming, media products including various video and audio products, such as video on demand, internet television, streaming radio, and the like. However, there are many factors which may impact the quality of the streaming media performance that can negatively impact the end user experience. A commonly experienced problem is a delay or freeze-frame experienced during consumption of the streaming media product, in which all media data downloaded to the client has been played, and the client is waiting for the next piece of media data. Such freezes, or hangs, give rise to a great deal of user frustration and dissatisfaction.
In the interest of maintaining user satisfaction, and therefore user volume, streaming media providers are CONSTANTLY working towards improving media distribution systems. However, given the complexity of streaming media distribution systems, it may often be difficult for a streaming media provider to determine what portions of the streaming media system are resulting the greatest number of problems. As such, much resource allocation toward improving media distribution systems may often be blindly expended. One root problem may be tied to the inability of media distribution providers to accurately assess the performance of their media distribution systems and identify the greatest weaknesses of the media distribution system.